Fylde boss wants back-up for Rowe

AFC Fylde are blazing the goal-trail in Vanarama National League North with their 29 goals leading them to the summit of the division – but manager Dave Challinor is demanding even more.

No fewer than 14 of the Coasters’ have goals have come from Danny Rowe – a striker currently dubbed as ‘unplayable’ by Challinor – but he doesn’t want him to become a one man band, and insists the load should be shared around the team.

Challinor said: “Danny’s form so far this season has been unbelievable and at times he has been unplayable and long may his form continue.

“There has been a tendency for the players to try and pick out Danny most of the time and that is fair enough given his form, but it would be good to see people like James Hardy, Sam Finley, Caspar Hughes and Matty Blinkhorn, when he is back from suspension, getting among the goals as well.”

Tomorrow’s clash away to FC United is the first of three matches on the road for the Coasters as they are at Stockport County on Tuesday night and, the following Saturday, they travel to Alfreton Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The Coasters will go into this sequence boosted by the fact that they have a 100 per cent record so far this term, much to the satisfaction of Challinor, particularly as he is convinced that there is, in his estimation, more to come.

He said: “We know it will tough, but we go into the three matches confident, or at least the players should be confident at any rate.

“There should be big crowds at all three matches, but we have the players who have experience of that.

“A lot of it is down to us controlling the crowd and their reaction by the way we play.”

For the visit to FC United, Fylde will again be without striker Blinkhorn, who is serving the final match of a three-game suspension.

The squad is again likely to include former Wigan Athletic man Ryan Jennings, formerly of Wigan Athletic.

He has had loan spells with Accrington Stanley, Cheltenham Town and Grimsby Town before being released by the Latics.

Jennings came on as a substitute after 80 minutes of the 4-1 win over Curzon Ashton on Tuesday night when Rowe registered his third hat-trick of the fledgling season.

Challinor said: “Jennings has been on my radar for a long time and he has come to us so that we can have a good look at him over the next few weeks.

“If he can produce what I have clearly seen him in the past, then he can only be a good addition to our squad.”

FC United are likely to have on-loan teenager Johnny Diba in goal against the Coasters tomorrow.

The 18-year-old has signed from League One side Rochdale on a month-long loan deal.

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